CHAPTER 9 - II -

 

**Kuro**

 

The battle for the western walls was already lost.  Our defenses were being overwhelmed by the dead, and all that we could do was to retreat eastwards.  However, I’m not giving up just yet…

 

“Retreat in order! I kept on shouting orders at the remaining magicians, “The first line, fire your incinerate spells!  Don’t worry about the houses; burn everything on sight!”

 

The magicians fired like there’s no tomorrow, partly because of my prodding, and partly because of our desperate attempt to keep the undead hordes at bay.  

 

“!!!”

 

The rushing undead was burned in an instant.  However, it kept on coming, like a tsunami that would engulf its victims in one determined rush.

 

Though the first zombies were burned to ashes or caught fire, soon it was extinguished by the hordes that were trying to overwhelm us.  The magicians had no choice but to fire their last mana reserves.  Lily and her warriors were all exhausted or unconscious from the fight, so we had no other option but to fight from a distance.

 

“Kuro, the others have already retreated!” Griffyth tapped my shoulder, “They’ve also evacuated the Iron Princess!”

 

“Someone has to keep the undead from following us!” I told him, “Where’s Kashca?”

 

“She already retreated,”  Griffyth told me.  

 

In fairness to Kashca, she distracted the undead long enough for us to cover half of the town of Huirot in our retreat.  However, the temporary repairs were done at the breach of the western wall of the town eventually gave way, and the zombies poured into that, overwhelming the western defenses.

 

“Great.  Now go!” I urged the magicians as well to escape with Griffyth.

 

“What about you?”

 

“Of course, I’ll run as well!” I told him, “However, someone must distract these bastards from coming after us!”

 

“I’ll fight with you!” Griffyth offered, “And you can’t say no to me!”

 

“Alright!” I was laughing, reloading the matchlock gun and attaching the bayonet, “Let’s do something that will be legendary!”

 

“Haha!  I knew you would say that!”

 

And so, the two of us—Griffyth and me, blocked the undead from reaching the escaping soldiers of our army to the east.  It was strange that I felt no fear during this moment.  Maybe it’s because I got someone with me?

 

Well, now’s not the time to think about such things!

 

 

The fight was desperate, yet Griffyth and I slowly gave ground as we retreat to the east.  At least, even as we knew that we’re slowly getting overwhelmed, the army could escape with lesser casualties than it had to be.

 

Griffyth showed his skills as a warrior during this time.  His sword had already cut down multitudes of the undead, his armor battered by his efforts to bash the heads of these creatures so that he could protect my back.

 

“Heh!  For something like mercenary work, I got way too involved with you, Kuro!”

 

“And I thank you for that!” I shouted to him as I slashed the heads of two zombies from its mouth.

 

“Nah!  At least, I get to do something worthwhile!” Griffyth answered, “I think Kevin and Stephan would do the same too, wherever they are right now!”

 

“Her Holiness will take care of their souls!”

 

“Yes!”

 

Though we could feel our arms getting tired and our blades becoming dull, we continued our slow retreat.  Slash here, bash there, thrust to the left and right.  We were like berserkers mercilessly killing their victims…

 

The battle was chaotic and getting tense.  However, a strange thing happened.  The undead suddenly stopped attacking, and there was a lull in the fighting.

 

“Griff, I guess the others have finally escaped now!” I shouted once again, “Let’s run!”

 

“K-Kuro!” it was Griffyth’s voice, “You…you go ahead…”

 

“What are you saying—”

 

“…”

 

Much to my surprise, I saw Griffyth in the air, skewered by a sword held by…

 

“Seirna!”

 

The Saint of the Flame stood amidst the hordes of the undead, with Griffyth on the other end of her blade.  And then she threw his dying body down on the ground, to be devoured by the undead.

 

“Stoooooppp!” I tried to rush beside him to defend his body from the zombies, but she threw me with her wind spell.

 

I could only watch in horror as they attempt to tear Griffyth’s body apart.  But the mercenary only smirked at me and pulled something from his side.  The next thing I knew, he erupted in flames, taking with him a considerable number of the undead.

 

“Hello, Fist of the North Lands.” Seirna walked towards me, “We meet again.  It’s a pity the Prince of Elebor won’t join us in this reunion anymore.”

 

“You!” I could feel the tears of anger fall down from my eyes.  My body was shivering; instead of fear, rage was forming within my chest, “I’ll kill you!”

 

“Try me, Kuro!” she let go of her sword, “You wanted to kill me for the deaths of your friends, right?  Here I am then!”

 

“…”

 

Honestly, I could feel my indignation well-up from within me.  I wanted to kill Seirna right there and then, for her guard was down.  However, even though I’m raging, there’s something inside my head that’s telling me that this was a trap.

 

“Well, if you’re not attacking me, then I will kill you!”

 

“!!!”

 

Seirna then rushed to me, seemingly unarmed.  However, she pulled another sword from her hand and attacked me with it.  Fortunately, I parried her blade with my bayonet just in time and followed up with a counter, using my gun’s buttstock.

 

Seirna quickly evaded that, but I already swung my foot towards her, and it hit her in the shin.

 

“!!!”

 

“That was a good attack, Kuro!” she commented, “You sure are quick to learn the ways of fighting.”

 

“Yes, and it’s all thanks to you!”  This time, I was the one who attacked.  I attempted a thrust of the bayonet to her body, which she easily parried with her sword.  But then, I once again followed up a counter, pulling my dagger and slashing her neck with it.

 

However, Seirna had seen through my attempt at the last minute, and she dodged.  I only cut her cheek.

 

“!!!”

 

I could tell that she was surprised as well.

 

“You!!!” Seirna was enraged, “There are only a few people in this realm that hurt me like this!”

 

“Well, I’m glad I’m one of them!”

 

“Yes, and like them, soon you’ll be dead as well!”

 

“!!!”

 

“Slashing wind!”

 

I quickly ducked to avoid getting hit.  However, her attacks became relentless and filled with rage.  It’s as if Seirna wanted to slice and dice my body ‘till she’s satisfied.

 

But as furious as her attacks may be, I quickly countered her with a swing from my gun’s buttstock that hit her in the head, fair and square.

 

“!!!”

 

Even I was surprised that I landed a clean hit.  However, I didn’t have time to marvel at my successful strike, for Seirna, in her desperate attempt to push me away, chanted another wind spell that blew me away.

 

“Raging whirlwind!!!”

 

I flew a few distances away from her and landed on my back, which was terribly painful.  I immediately tried to stand up as she quickly attacked me.  However, I think I got a few of my bones broken…I couldn’t move without crying out in pain.

 

“Kuro…never in my whole life that I saw someone as determined as you.” Seirna menacingly walked towards me, with blood flowing down from her head—a result of my successful hit on her earlier, “However, you’ve come to grow too dangerous to exist in this world…”

 

“…” I desperately tried to crawl away from her, but like a predator coming to kill its cornered prey, Seirna stalked me.

 

And then a dead end.  Raising her sword arm, ready to strike at me, she smiled maniacally as she uttered the words…

 

“Say hello to Madelaine for me in the afterlife!”